What scanner for Columbia PD,Forest Acres PD,RCSD and SCHP?
- Thread starter JohnDG
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I personally prefer the BCD396XT and the BCD436HP because I take them with me in the car and move them throughout my house. The BCD436HP is really handy when I travel because I just have to put the zip code in instead going through the process of programming the scanner again. All the Unidens are are good and the BCD996P2 will definitely work for all of those agencies. Im fairly sure the 996P2 comes with a programming cable which is always a plus.
Any "digital trunktracking" scanner from either Uniden or Whistler will work well for the agencies you're interested in. There is a convenient list located in this site's Wiki:
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igital Scanners - The RadioReference Wiki
I'd stay away from the older models that do not support APCO-25 Phase 1 Trunked radio systems, because at some point soon (months or years) the Palmetto 800 system will transition to an APCO-25 system. This is the system that all of the agencies you mentioned use for their communications.
I'd also stay away from the older RadioShack models (PRO-106/197) since parts and repair availability for those radios is now essentially non-existent.
Each model has pluses and minuses. Being new to the hobby, be warned that the learning curve on these modern scanners can be pretty steep. You might consider the value in other local hobbyists being able to share configuration files with you. Personally, I'm a GRE/Whistler user, and I'd be happy to share Win500 or EZScan Digital files with you for the Columbia area. There may be others with Uniden scanners that are also willing to share configurations.
Good luck.
Category
igital Scanners - The RadioReference WikiI'd stay away from the older models that do not support APCO-25 Phase 1 Trunked radio systems, because at some point soon (months or years) the Palmetto 800 system will transition to an APCO-25 system. This is the system that all of the agencies you mentioned use for their communications.
I'd also stay away from the older RadioShack models (PRO-106/197) since parts and repair availability for those radios is now essentially non-existent.
Each model has pluses and minuses. Being new to the hobby, be warned that the learning curve on these modern scanners can be pretty steep. You might consider the value in other local hobbyists being able to share configuration files with you. Personally, I'm a GRE/Whistler user, and I'd be happy to share Win500 or EZScan Digital files with you for the Columbia area. There may be others with Uniden scanners that are also willing to share configurations.
Good luck.
Good choice... Unless you need to monitor any of the simulcasts.... Transistion to P25 begins next year for the parts of the Palmetto 800 that are not already P25. (Most of it in other words.) If your near any of the simulcast sites, be ready for multipath distortion. So far the only scanners that do very good on P25 LSM's are the old GRE/RS PRO-96, with CPU 1.4 DSP 1.4, and if its starting to go slightly deaf on 800, the 1/4 turn adjustment on the internal screw.... Newer awesome LSM handlers are the BCD 436/536 HP's, the WS1080, and WS1095. Not so good to literally pitiful on LSM's are the BCD396/996 T/XT's... HP-1, and 2, PRO-106/PSR500 and the desktop/mobile versions... Unless of course your running an Yagi type antenna to lock onto an single tower of an simulcast system. As for the 325/996P2's.. Since they are just Phase 2 capable upgrades of the 396/996XT's,.. they will do the same as the originals on LSM... Which is not the best performance. Have fun!
Thanks for the advice! I do plan to run a Yagi antenna pointed at my main tower and hopefully that will help.
That should not be necessary until Palmetto 800 transitions to a P25 system. Until them, the APCO-16 simulcast cells don't really pose any problems.
I am glad I stumbled on this. I just moved to Columbia and was hoping to find a way to listen in... gotta start looking for a scanner now.
That being said... I hit the ground running applying for the SLED Communications Specialist posting in Richland County... keep your fingers crossed and you might hear me on the air some day.
That being said... I hit the ground running applying for the SLED Communications Specialist posting in Richland County... keep your fingers crossed and you might hear me on the air some day.
I think they usually already have someone picked out for that job when the list it, but best of luck to you. If it doesn't work out check out Lexington County or Richland County 9-1-1, both are always hiring...
+1
Lexington county is a great place to work. Great people and great agencies that we dispatch for.
I am about to put in for that one as well. My wife put in for EMS and Dispatch last month. She got the interview for dispatch but with her EMT certification they pushed her through to that hiring manager and she goes in next week for that interview. I am going to try my hand at their cycle. I did SLED since their shift was a M-F 8a-4p which sounded nice especially if she worked 12 hour rotating shifts. That way there would always be someone home with her kid.
I've been trying to find a tech job since my background is in electronics repair and comms but it seems no one is hiring. Next week I might pop my head into the few Motorola Service Centers in the area.
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